Loom mechanism



Jan. 13, 1948. A BECKSTROM. 2,434,344

LOOM MECHANISM Filed July 51', 1944 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HAW/7K4. Biz/(f 75 0/ 7 v v o ATTORNEYS Jan. 13, 1948.

H. A. BECKSTROM I 2,434,344

LOOM MECHANI SM Filed July 31, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I II II IPIII U I I 1| sllr lll ll l A l I I I i I I I l I II at 1 x :5

IIVVEAITOR L EAR/9Y4. Bit/U730 Jam. 13, 1948. H. A. BECKSTROM Filed July 31, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 J A TTORA/[VS Patented Jan. 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOM MECHANISM Harry A. Beckstrom, Seattle, Wash. Application July 31, 1944, Serial No. 547,373

My invention relates to weaving machines, and particularly to a machine suitable for making rope mats in which the warp of the mat is formed entirely of rope, the strands of which are substantially in contact.

Attempts have been made heretofore to make rope mats of close weave, but if both the warp and the woof threads are made of rope, the adjacent strands in both directions are necessarily spaced apart a considerable distance The inherent stiffness of the warp is the primary cause of this. With my loom an alternative type of rope mat may be produced in which the warp threads are substantially touching and are of rope, so that the structure is quite substantial. A tight weave is then completed by using relatively light rope or string for the woof threads and packing the weave as it is formed to locate the woof strands as close together as possible.

Heretofore it has not been possible to tighten sufiiciently the weave of a mat in which the warp strands are rope and the woof strands are string. A reed is the normal means to tighten a weave, but a reed operates to crowd over or pack the woof threads by direct engagement with them. If the latter are comparative in size and stiffness to warp threads of rope, no practicable amount of packing can be accomplished. If the woof threads are light, compared to the warp threads, the reed must crowd the heavy, stiff warp threads purely by its action upon the comparatively flimsy and light woof threads. Too much force may break the woof, or merely stretch it; too little force will not accomplish the desired end. The solution of this problem is my main aim.

It is a principal object to device a loom having a batten capable of tightening the weave in such a rope and string mat without danger of breaking the woof string. I achieve this object by employing a batten having a substantially continuous surface extending from end to end, which surface is formed as, or is capable of acting as a wedge. The batten is moved to engage the warp threads and thereby to pack the immediately preceding woof thread or threads, instead of using the usual reed structure to engage the woof strands directly.

It is a further object to employ a novel shedforming structure which will also serve as the batten. To pack the weave the shed-forming structure will therefore be moved generally lengthwise of the warp strands.

A further object is to drive the various parts of the loom mechanism, and particularly the batten and the shed reversing structure, automatically in timed relationship so that the weave will 2'7 Claims. (Cl. 139-11) be packed after each reversal (or after selected reversals) of the shed, while affording suificient opportunity for the string shuttle to lay another woof strand subsequent to the packing step and prior to the following reversal of the shed.

A further object is to make the construction of such a loom compact, and at the same time rugged.

It will be understood that the loom construction is represented in the drawing somewhat diagrammatically and not in exact proportion, to clarify the disclosure of its principal features, and to enable the operation to be understood more readily. The construction of the various parts, and particularly of the drive mechanism, is intended to be representative, and the structure shown and described may be modified considerably and still utilize the essential characteristics of my invention.

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of showing parts broken away.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the loom, parts being shown in section, and Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 3--3 of Figure 2 viewed in the direction of the arrows. Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the loom taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a single shedding and batten plate, with the control arm broken away, and Figure 6 is a sectional view through such plate along line 6-43 of Figure 5.

Figures 7 to 14 inclusive are diagrammatic views showing the various elements in different sequential operating relationships to illustrate a complete operating cycle of the loom.

Instead of the various parts of the loom being supported and moved independently of each other, the entire loom structure is carried by a single base composed of side beams I, spaced apart by leash rods l0 and temple rods II, which are secured rigidly to and extend transversely between the side beams. These beams are preferably of structural shape and may be of channel cross section, or otherwise formed to constitute ways for guiding the loom batten for movement lengthwise relative to the mat being woven.

The ropes R which form the warp of the mat pass around the leash rods I0 and through the combined shedding and batten structure, shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 3. Suitable tensioning mechanism and a rope beam will hold the ends of the ropes behind the leash rods. The woven portion of the mat is gripped between the temple rods II.

The shedding and batten structure is composed my loom,

of a plurality of plates 2, one of which is shown in Figures 5 and 6, stacked in face to face relationship as shown best in Figures 1 and 2. Each plate has a cylindrical aperture through it to receive the core bar l2 whereon it may oscillate in a circular arc. One-half of its exterior contour may be semi-circular, and the other half projects angularly, and is preferably approximately square, forming one planar side. A hole 20 in such straight side enables a warp rope to pass through it from the central plate aperture toward the mat. The adjacent Warp ropes are thus segregated, yet close together.

The circular side of each plate 2 is rabbeted at 2|, so that when the plates are assembled in face to face relationship their rabbets cooperate to form grooves through which theropes R'may pass into the central aperture of these plates. The

ends 22 of the rabbets are rounded to avoid the ropes running over them being frayed. Since only one composite slot'is thus formed for each pairof adjacent-plates, two ropes'pass through each such slot, andone --ropeisthreadedthrough the aperture 28- of one of suchplateawhile-the other rope passes out through the aperture 2 of the paired plate. Thesetwo ropes are incorporated in opposite sides-of the shed, respective1y.

The plates 2 are assembled in face to face-relationship, asdescribed, on-the-core12 which has an interrupted cylindrical contour. Asshown best in-Figure 3,- the cross section of the core is amajor sector'of a cylinder,-that isgthe angle between the radial boundary surfacesas measured through the core exceeds 180 degrees,'and-preferably is approximately 270 degrees. A series of holes are drilled'radially through the core, spaced angularly approximately equidistantly' from theradial core faces. Such holes are located in'pairs, the two holes of each pair preferably being in' the same radialplane of core l2 and aligned withthe same slot formed by the rabbets' of adjacent plates 2.

The ropes R, as shown in Figure 3, can-then pass from the rope beam (not shown)- around leash-rods Ill, betweenthe complementalra'bbets of adjacent plates 2 and through the'core-a'pertures into the minor sector groove-extending lengthwise along the" opposite side of the core. Within the space formedby this groove'theropes of each pair diverge bothradially and'axially' of core l2 and project through the holes 2Bof the adjacent plates one" on each side of each coplanar pair of core apertures, for incorporation'in opposite sides of the-shed, as'alrea'dy described In order to form the shed; alternate plates 2 are interconnected intwo series for conjoint operation, sothat all the holes 20 of one series will be-aligned adjacent to one radialsurface of core I2, whereas the holes20of all the intermediate plates 2; comprising the second series, will be aligned adjacent to the other radial surface of the core. When-thus disposed the two lines of holes 20 wil1 be spaced apart QOdegree's, so that certain corners 23 of all the plates 2 will' be aligned in registry to form a continuous batten corner or wedging angle, asshown'in'Fig'ure 1.

To enable the batten-forming corners 23 of plates 2 to be aligned 'toform a continuous composite batten or wedge when such plates are cillated on core [2 to reverse the'shed; both corners 23 ofeach plateZ are similarly angled; the precise angle being capable of variation, but preferably being a right angle. When the shed is reversed, therefore, the plates 2 of one series, whose corners 23- projectupwardly, as'shown in" Figure 1, are rotated conjointly in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 3, through a quarter of a revolution to swing their lower corners directly downward and their upper corners into the position within the shed. Simultaneously the second series of plates, intermediate the plates of the first series, are oscillated conjointly counterclockwise, as seen in Fig. 3, to swing their upper corners upward out of the shed and their lower corners upward into the shed toregister with the downwardly swung corners of the plates in the first series. During such movement the rope guiding apertures 28 of the first series of plates are swung downward to move the ropes passing through them from their positions forming the upper shed part to positions forming the lower shed part. The holesof the second series, on the contrary, are swung upward simultaneously so that the ropes received in them cross the downwardly moving ropes, and come to rest in the position forming the upper shed part. The core i2 serves as-a-bearing on which theplates 2 rotate-in this manner.

The continuous wedge formedby angles 23 of all the plates in registry constitutes the-composite batten element. To eifect packing it-i's therefore necessary t'o reciprocate the entire batten and shedding structure toward and away from temple rods- H preferably between each reversal of the shed, to pack theweave each time just before passing the'shuttlethrou'ghthe shed to lay another woof strand. Since, with the plate corners thus aligned, the batten is in effect a continuous member, though composite, it is not necessary that it strike the woof strands, and in fact it is preferred that the comparatively light woof not be struck. The battenplates will therefore only strikethe-strong warp ropes, but it will exert a wedgin'gor spreading action on them which will effectively pack the woof strand threaded into place immediately prior to the shed-reversing operation followed by the packing impact of the batten. The composite shedding and batten'st'ructure and-its operations which have been described make clear the essential features of my invention, an'd the particular type-of mechanism which I have devised to effect and'coordinate the movement of plates- 2 is of secondary importance. Various mechanismsmaybe devised to accomplish the required compound -reciprocatory and rotative movement of the plates in'proper timed sequence.

Each plate! has an arm2'4 projecting radially from a side adjacent'to its-rope-receiving aperture 2!]. Preferably this arm is aligned with a radius of the plates central aperture'perpendicular to the radius of such-aperture which passes through the rope hole 20'. The arms of all the plates do not project towardthe same side of'the loom base, howevenbut, as shown in -Figures 1 and'3, all the arms of one seriesofplates project beyond one side of the base, while the'arms of the alterna'te intermediate plates forming the second series project beyond'the opposite side' of the base. Apertures in the ends of arms 24 of each series of plates receive an interconnecting rod 3 which holds allthe plates of its series in'registry. These rods may be swungthrough part ofa revolution about the axis of the platesupporting core l2 to reverse the shed and'to'va'ry'th'e batten arrangement, as described above.

Since batten plates (2 must move lengthwise of the basesside" beams I' in order to pack the weaveof'theropemat', the'core i2 which supports these plates must be translated lengthwise of these beams. Consequently each end of this core is fixedly secured to a sliding bar 13 received between the edge flanges of one of the channel beams I, as shown in Figures 1 and 4. Since no rotation of plates 2 about core I2 is desired during the packing operation, all of the mechanism for oscillating the plates must be supported from the sliding bars 13, to move with the core lengthwise of the frame.

During part of such reciprocation of bars 13 no movement of the plate rotating mechanism occurs, so that the corners 23 of the two series of plates in registry remain in their continuous wedging relationship, serving as a batten throughout the packing operation. During another part of such reciprocation the plate rotating mechanism is moved relative to bars l3 simultaneously with their reciprocation, to rotate the plates 2 conjointly about the axis of core l2 for reversing the shed while being translated bodily.

Frame 33 constitutes the immediate element for efiecting rotation of plates 2, and it is connected by links 3| to both rods 3, so that as it is reciprocated toward and away from core l2 lengthwise of bars 13 it will rotate the plates of the two series simultaneously, but in opposite directions. Frame 30 is guided for such movement by blocks 32 secured to such frame and sliding in grooves [B in bars l3. The length of the frames stroke must be such that arms 24 will be swung through an angle of 90 degrees to bring corners 23 of plates 2 into registry, assuming that such corners are right angles.

The reciprocating mechanism for frame 30 comprises a plate 33 secured to it in perpendicular relationship to the plane of the frame and disposed parallel to the side beams I and bars l3. This plate has an aperture 34 of double arcuate segmental shape having slots 35 extending outward from the aperture parallel to the common chord of the arcuate aperture sides. Through such aperture extends a rod 36 interconnecting gears 31 which are supported by shaft [4 journaled in bars l3.

The action of gears 31, rod 36 and plate 33 may be considered first without reference to the manner in which these gears are driven, it being assumed that they are rotated continuously clockwise as seen in Figure 3. No reciprocation of frame 33 lengthwise of bars 13 will be effected by the resulting movement of rod 36 along the arcuate edge of aperture 34 at the left during rotation of the gears through the first 95) degrees because, with plate 33 in the position shown in Figures 1 and 3, the center of its arc coincides with the axis of rotation of shaft [4. When the rod engages the upper slot 35 as seen in these figures, however, it forces plate 33, and hence frame 30 and rods 3, to the right, while gears 31 are rotating through the next 90 degrees. At that time plate 33 has been shifted to a position in which the center of its right arcuate side coincides with the axis of shaft 14, so that during the succeeding 90 degrees of gear rotation rod 33 will merely slide along this arcuate side of the aperture without shifting the plate farther. When the rod engages the lower slot 35, however, plate 33 will again be shifted to the left relative to bars l3 during the next 90 degrees of rotation.

While, as stated, I prefer that the angles of the arcuate sides of aperture 34 correspond to a rotation of gears 31 and rod 36 through an angle of 90 degrees, this angle may be varied as long as the plates 2 are moved into proper relationship to form the batten wedge during reciprocation of the composite batten to pack the weave of the mat. Alternatively a generally triangular cam having arcuate sides could be substituted for rod 38 to cooperate with an aperture in plate 33 having opposite straight parallel sides, which cam would rotate about the axis of shaft l4, according to known practice,

The bodily reciprocation of gears 31' and the composite batten structure, to pack the weave of the mat, should take place while plate 33 is stationary relative to bars l3, so that the plates 2 will be maintained in unvarying rotative relationship. Such bodily reciprocation of the batten structure is accomplished by shifting shaft l4 through the medium of a link or links 4 connected between such shaft and the throw 40 of a crank shaft [5. This latter shaft, journaled 1n the side base beams I, may be rotated by any suitable drive mechanism, such as a gear 4| driven through reduction gearing by a motor 42. A shaft 44 of the crank shaft throw carries gears 38 fixed on it to rotate with shaft l5 and mesh with gears 31. The spacing between the centers of gears 31 and 38 is maintained constant at all times by the links 4 interconnecting their mounting shafts.

Each rotation of shaft I5 will translate shaft l4, and consequently reciprocate bars I3 and core I2, through a forward stroke and a back stroke to move the assembly of plates 2 to pack the weave of the mat. As previously pointed out, however, the shed is reversed twice during each revolution of gears 31, once by movement of rods 3 to the right and again by their return movement to the left. If it is desired to pack the weave after each shed reversing operation, therefore, the diameter of gears 31 must be twice that of gears 38, so that the former gears will be rotated through only one-half a revolution for each packing stroke of the batten. If the weave is packed only after every second shed reversing operation, however, gears 31 and 38 could be of equal diameters. Such operation is not preferred, since less time would be afforded for passing the shuttle through the shed to lay the woof strands.

A cycle of operation may be understood best by reference to the sequence of the phases illustrated in Figures 7 to 14. As shaft l5 rotates counterclockwise, as indicated by the arrow, gears 38 will drive gears 31 in a clockwise direction. During rotation of shaft 15 through degrees from the position of Figure '7 to that of Figure 8 the composite batten will be moved bodily slightly to the left and back again. Meanwhile rod 36 has engaged in the upper slot 35 of plate 33 to shift frame 30 to the right relative to bar I3, thus to rotate the two series of plates 2 oppositely for reversing the shed. The two parts of the shed are just crossing in Figure 8.

Reversal of the shed is completed during rotation of shaft l5 through the succeeding 90 degrees to the position of Figure 9, and the composite batten structure has been shifted a considerable distance to the right by the crank action of the shaft. Rod 36 moves along the right arcuate surface of aperture 34 in plate 33 during the next one-half revolution of shaft l5, so that no movement of frame 30 relative to bar 13 occurs in this period, and batten plates 2 are therefore not shifted angularly.

During the first 90 degrees of such half-revolution of shaft l5 from the position of Figure 9 to that of Figure 10 the plates 2, acting as a bat ten, are shifted by reciprocation of shaft l4 and b'ar I3 sufficiently to the right to pack the-weave, and are retracted-again equal distance. It will be noted that the final stage of lengthwise movement of the batten structure accomplished by such rotation of shaft I5 isquite slow-because of the angular disposition of crank 40' at such time, so that the two parts of the shed are forcefully wedged apart rather than being struck sharply. During the final'90 degree rotation of shaft [5' through this half-revolution, from the position of Fig. to that of 'Fig. 11, the batten structure is retracted rapidly without the shed being reversed, which affords ample opportunity for the shuttle' 'to be passed between the shed parts to lay the wo'of string or pick thread S. V

The shed is now reversed to itsorigin'al condition by engagement of rod 36 in the lower slot 35 of the aperture in plate33, whilethe batten structure is reciprocated only slightly to the left and back again during rotatienof shaft I5 from the position of Figure 11 to that of Figure 12. Further rotation of the crankshaft ['5 through 9'0 degrees to the position of Fig. 13 translates the batten structure rapidly to the right during conipletionof the shed reversing olaeratibn. 'In the next quarter-revolution of shaft I5 to the position of Fig. 14 the weave is again packed by slight movement of the batten structure to the right and return to the position of Fig. 14.

Rotation of plates 2 to reverse'the shed is also delayed while gears 31 complete" their revolution as shaft I5 rotates to the position of Fig. 7, to enable the shuttle to lay a further woofstrand S, and the batten structure isretracted rapidly toward the left into its initial position. 'Ihecycle described above isthen successively repeated, so that the Weave is packed immediately following completion of each shed reversing operation,- and the next shed reversingoperation=is delayed for a sufiicient period to enable the shuttle to be passed through the shed for placing-the next woo'fstrand. y

It will be understood that'the'packingoperation'does not slack oh the warp threads'gfo'r they are maintained always" under tension -bya suitable tensioning mechanism which is not here illustrated, but which may be" an'y suo'h' de'vi'ce now common in looms.

The bodily movement of the batten mechanism awayfrom the temple rods I land frdm-theshed affords ampleroom for the passage'of the shiit tle, yet it is always positioned suihc-iently close that it can be moved into the shed" tdpa'k'it' in a minimum of time and in timedrela'tibnship with the shed reversing rotation of thepIatesZ.

I claim as my invention: v

1. Weaving mechanism comprisingatariflgiiid ing and shed-reversing members mounted for movement between opposite'shed ffifnirigpdsi tions, including wedge-like means" ai pdseawithin'the shed upon completion of such'mevehient, means so to move said members, and means synchronized with said shed-reversing means to advance said wedge-like ineans into 'contactwith the interior of' the shed, followinga-reversal-of the shedand prior to a subsequentlayingof'the woof-thread.

2. Weaving mechanism comprising a'tleast two series, each including a plurality,'of-warp 'guim ing elements, the elementsof-one of saidseries being disposed in'alternate a-rrangement'with-ele ments of another series, means to efiect'conjoint oscillation of the elements 'of at least one series in opposite sensesrelative to the elements of the other series of the two series having their elements thus arranged; to reverse the shed; wedgeforming means on the warp' guiding elements of each series, so located as to be disposed in alignment'within the shed upon completion of certain shed-reversing movements, and means to advance the warp guiding elements and their aligned wedge form'ing means, following completion of a shed-reversing movement, as a Wedge into the apex of the shed to pack the weave.

3. 'Weaving mechanismcomprising an assembly including two series of oscillatably mounted shed-"forming plates, the plates of one of said series being disposed in alternate arrangement with plates of the other series, means to efiect conjoint oppositeoscillation of the plates of said two series between two terminal positions, to reverse the she'd,'n'1e'a'ns' timed with said plate oscil-' lat'irfg mechanism to advance the assembly into the shed during stay of said plates in at least one such terminal position, and batten-forming means operative'ly associated with said-plates, and' positioned, during such advance, to pack the weave.

'4. Weaving mechanism comprising an assembly including tWO series or co ax ial oscillata'bly mounted shed forming' plates, the plates of one of'sa'id series being disposed in alternate arrangementwit'hplates' or the other serie -means to effect conjoint opposite oscillation of the plates ofsaid'twoserie's into'and to retain themmome'ntarily ili'ach'of tw'oteimifial positions, to reverse the shed, batten-forming means carried'by and movable with each plate, and cooperating with like means on the-other plates to define a batten within the shed While the plates are in a temporarily'fike'd terminal position,- and means toadvance the assembly into the apex of the shed to engage said batten forming' means therew-itlrto pack the weave;

5: Aloomstruoture" comprising an assembly including two c'o-axial series of oppositely oscillatably mounted shed-forming plates, the plates of r one of said series being disposed inalternate arrangement with-:rilat'e's of the other series, each plate being apertured for transversepas'sage of a wa'rp strand; a, batten -forming corner projecting fromea'ch' plate, at opposite" sides of the warp strandpa'ssin'g' therethrough; fornied'for cooperation' with similar corners on' all other plates,in each'reversed position' thereof, to define a coin- Dosite; wedge shape'u batten" within the shed; meansoperative'lyconnected to said plates toeffect,-in'tu'rn,' opposite oscillation of the two'series' of plates to reverse theshed, the conjoint bodily advancement oftheplates' of both series to advanc'ethe' composite" bat'tetidefined thereby' into engagement with the shed while said plates are held against ds'cillatioma'nd finally'retraction of the assembly from mes ed apex preparatory relaying thew'oof strand within the shed;

I 6. A loom comprising a 'base, su porting-means reciprb cable relativeto said base generally lengthwise of the';wai-p' strands, combine'd'shedding and batten meanscarried bysaid supporting means and'reciprocable therewith, shed reversing means carried by said supporting means and operatively connected tosaid combined shedding a'ndlc'atten Ineansto actuate thesamefor reversing the shed, reciprocating me'a'nscai-ried by saidb'asc and operable to reciprocate said supporting means and said combined shedding and batten'me'ans' conjointly; and 'me'ansintereng'agedbetween said 9 reciprocating means and said shed reversing means to correlate the reciprocation of said supporting means and combined shedding and batten means by said reciprocating means and the shed reversing actuation of said combined shedding and batten means by said shed reversing means, in timed relationship.

"I. The method of Weaving rope mats which comprises forming a warp shed of relatively heavy rope strands, laying within the shed a relatively light woof strand, reversing the shed, engaging a batten with the rope warp strands to spread the same for packing the weave, thereafter laying within the shed a further relatively light woof strand, and again reversing the shed.

8. The method of weaving rope mats or the like, which comprises forming a warp shed of rel atively stiff strands, laying within the shed a relatively flimsy pick thread, reversing the shed, and advancing a batten into the apex of the shed to engage the warp strands and to pack the weave.

9. The method of weaving rope mats or the like which comprises tensioning a plurality of relatively stifi strands to constitute the warp, spreading and reversing the warp strands to form successive sheds, laying within each shed a relatively flimsy pick thread, and, while retaining the warp strands tensioned and in a shed-forming position, advancing an element of the shedding members into such shed to engage the warp strands and to pack the weave.

l0. Weaving mechanism comprising a plurality of shedding members each operatively engageable with a warp strand, and shiitable transversely of the strands between opposite shedforming positions to reverse the shed, means so to shift the shedding members, and means synchronized with said shifting means to advance said shedding members bodily into and from the shed, intermediate two successive shed reversals, thereby to pack the weave.

11. Weaving mechanism comprising paired shedding members each operatively engageable with a warp strand, and shiftable between opposite shed-forming positions to reverse the shed, means so to shift the shedding members, means synchronized with said shifting means to advance said shedding members along the strands bodily towards and from the shed, and a batten operatively disposed, during such bodily movement, within the shed, and operatively connected to advance and retract relative to the shed conjointly with the shedding members, to pack the weave.

12. Weaving mechanism comprising paired shedding members each operatively engageable with a. warp strand, and shiftable transversely of the strands between opposite shed-forming positions to reverse the shed, means so to shift the shedding members, means synchronized with said shifting means to advance said shedding members, intermediate certain shed reversals, along the strands bodily towards and from the shed, and batten elements each associated with an individual shedding member, and collectively disposed during such advance within the shed and ahead of the shedding members, to wedge within the shed and thus to pack the weave.

13. Weaving mechanism comprising a pair of oppositely shiftable shedding members each operatively engageable with a warp strand, a batten-forming element carried by each shedding member, and in at least one shed-forming position cooperating with the corresponding element on the other member to form a composite batten extending lengthwise within the shed, means to repeatedly reverse the shedding members to reverse the shed, and means to shift said members bodily, lengthwise of the warp strands, to engage the shedded strands by the composite batten, and thus to pack the weave and then to withdraw such members.

14. Weaving mechanism comprising a pair of opposite oscillatable shedding 'members each operatively engageable with a warp strand, a batten-forming element carried by each shedding member, and so disposed that in at least one shed-forming position each will cooperate with the corresponding element on the other member to form a composite batten extending lengthwise within the shed, means to shift said members bodily lengthwise of the warp strands, to engage the batten within the shed and thus to pack the weave, and to withdraw the members prior to reversal of the shed, and means to repeatedly oscillate said members to reverse the shed.

15. Weaving mechanism comprising a pair of oppositely oscillatable shedding members each operatively engageable with a warp strand, a batten-forming element carried by each shedding member, and so dispose-d that in at least one shedforming position each will cooperate with the corresponding element on the other member to form a composite batten extending lengthwise within the shed, means to shift said members bodily lengthwise of the warp strands, to engage the batten within the shed and thus to pack the weave, and to withdraw the members prior to reversal of the shed, means to repeatedly oscillate said members to reverse the shed, and means governing the packing of the weave, to occur in predetermined synchronism with reversal of the shed.

l6. Weaving mechanism comprising a pair of shedding members oppositely shiftable between two shed-forming positions, and each operatively engageable with a warp strand, means so to shift said members, batten-forming elements carried by each shedding member, and so disposed that in each shed-forming position one such element will cooperate with a like element carried by the other member to form a composite batten extending lengthwise within the shed, and means to shift said members bodily into and from the shed following each reversal of the shed, thereby to pack the weave.

1'7. Weaving mechanism comprising a pair of oppositely oscillatable shedding members each operatively en aged with a warp thread, and by repeated oscillations efiecting repeated reversals of the shed, means so to oscillate said members, two batten-forming elements formed on each shedding member, and so disposed that in each shed-forming position one such element will cooperate with a similar element on the other member to form a composite batten extending lengthwise within the shed, and means to shift said members bodily into and from the shed following each reversal, thereby to pack the weave.

18. Weaving mechanism comprising a plurality of cooperating shedding plates each formed for engagement with a warp strand, and each having a wedging batten-forming corner at one side of its warp strand, and means operable to move said shedding plates between opposite shed-forming positions, and further operable to shift said plates bodily, when the batten corner is within the shed, into the shed to engage said corner with its strand to pack the weave, and from the shed prior to movement into the next shed-forming position.

1 9; Weaving mechanism as in claim '18, char acterized in that each shedding plate is formed with two batten-forming corners, one at each side of its warp strand.

20. Weaving mechanism comprising paired shedding plates each formed with a genera y straight edge terminating in substantially rectangular corners, and formed for passage of a warp strand across the late within its plane, to issue intermediate the two corners, means supporting said plates for oscillation about a common axis, means so to oscillate said paired plates in opposite senses between opposite shed-forming positions, in each of which one corner of each plate coincides with a difierent corner of the other plate, to define a composite batten directed into the shed, and means to advance the plates towards the shed, to engage the batten with the strands thereof, and thus to pack the weave.

21. Weaving mechanism comprising paired shedding plates each formed with two spaced corners, and formed for passage of a warp strand across the plate within its plane, to issue -inter mediate the two corners, means supporting the plates for oscillation about a common axis, means so to oscillate said paired plates in oppositesenses between opposite shed-forming positions, the corners being so disposed that in each shed-forming position one corner of each plate registers with a diiferent corner of the other plate, to define a composite batten directed into the shed, and means to advance the plates bodily towards the shed, toen'gage the battenwith thestraiids were: of, and thus to pack the weave. I

22. Weaving mechanism coh'i fi'ris'iiga'pliifality of shedding members each opeiaevei engaged with a warp strand, and mounted for movement between diiferent shed-forming positions, med-15s"- so to move said shedding members, a battenforming' element associated with each: shedding; member, and cooperating with like elements of the other members in' certain shed-forming positions to form a compositebatten disposed within' the shed, and means to shift the composite batten bodily into the shed to pack the weave, and from the shed, intermediate she d form'ing move"- ments of said members.

23. Weaving mechanism as' in-claim 22, where: in the batten-forming elements are formed integrally with individual shedding members, to move and shift bodily therewith.

24. Weaving mechanism comprising shedding members each operatively engaged with a war strand, means to shift said shedding members into difIerent-s'he'd-forming positions, batten means associated and movable with each of said shedding members to'lie within the shed upon completion of a new shed, and means to shift said batten means bodily into the shed, to engage the strands thereof and to pack the weave.

25. Weaving mechanism comprising shedding members each operatively engaged with a warp strand, means to shift said members into diflerent shed-forming positions, batten means operatively associated with said shedding members to bemoved, by such movement of said members into a new shedforming position, within the shed, and means to shift said batten means from such position within the shed bodily towards the shed, to engage the strands thereof and to pack the weave. V

26. Weaving mechanism as in claim 24, the individual batten means being formed and arranged eachitocooperate with other batten means upon reaching its position-within the shed, to define a substantially continuous composite batten disposed lengthwise of and within the shed, and by its bodily movement into the shed serv ing towedge apart the shed strands.

27. Weavingmechanism comprising a plurality of reversible shedding members each operatively engageable' with a warp strand, a battenforming element carried by each shedding memher, and cooperating with like elements of the other members, in at least one shed-forming positio'n,- to form a composite batten disposed within the shed, means to repeatedly reverse the sheddin'g members to reverse the shed, and means to shift the composite batten-when formed, to engage and pack, and then' to disengage the warp strands, within the shed.

HARRY A. BEGKSTROM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number name Date 2,356,964 Alderfer Aug, 29, 1.944 2,247,760 MacDonald July 1, 1941 1,970,175 Ka ufm'ann Aug. 14, 1934 FOREIGN PATENT" Number Country Date 160,321 Great Britain Mar; 24, 1921 18,196 Germany June 14, 1882 

